Great Antipasto

This isn’t a cold platter arrangement. It’s a cooked antipasto where all the vegetables simmer together in a tomato sauce and ketchup base until tender-crisp, then canned tuna gets stirred in at the end to break into savory flakes throughout.

The vegetable mix is the real draw: carrots, cauliflower florets, mushrooms, green bell peppers, celery, black olives, pickled onions, and artichoke hearts. Cooking them together for 20-30 minutes softens them enough to absorb the tangy tomato sauce while keeping enough bite to feel like antipasto, not stew.

Adding the tuna in the last 5 minutes lets it break into pieces without turning to mush. The ketchup might raise eyebrows, but it adds sweetness, vinegar tang, and body that straight tomato sauce alone doesn’t deliver. Served at room temperature with crusty bread or crackers, this is the kind of appetizer that disappears fast at parties.

Chef Tips

• Cut all vegetables to a similar size so they cook at the same rate. The carrots take longest, so chop them a bit smaller than everything else
• Use oil-packed tuna for richer flavor, or water-packed if you want to keep it lighter
• Let the antipasto cool to room temperature before serving. The flavors are brighter and more balanced than when it’s piping hot
• This stores well in the refrigerator for up to a week, making it ideal for meal prep or entertaining

Variations

• Add hot pepper rings or a splash of red wine vinegar for a spicier, tangier version
• Stir in diced roasted red peppers and capers for a more traditional Italian flavor
• Skip the tuna and add marinated white beans for a vegetarian version